The inside of the Potomac TRACON.

A Terminal Control Center (also known as Terminal Radar Approach CONtrol or TRACON in the United States) is an Air Traffic Control Center usually located within the vicinity of a large airport. Typically, the Terminal Control Center controls aircraft within a 30-50 nautical mile (56 to 93 km) radius of the airport between the surface and 10,000 feet. A Terminal Control Center is sometimes also known as an Approach Control or Departure Control. In Canada, it may be Approach Control may be called Arrival or Terminal. In military aviation, it is often known as RAPCON (Radar Approach Control). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (825x638, 55 KB)The Potomac Conslidated TRACON. Retrieved from http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (825x638, 55 KB)The Potomac Conslidated TRACON. Retrieved from http://www. ... Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs) at Schiphol Airport Air Traffic Control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air to ensure safe, orderly and expeditious traffic flow. ...

Terminal Control Center radar facilities

Terminal Control Centers normally have their own radar system that allow air traffic controllers to track aircraft. This is typically based on one or more Airport Surveillance Radar(s) (ASR), sweeping once every 6 seconds. These frequent updates help controllers see the result of direction changes quickly. U.S. TRACONs also have the capability to make use of CENRAP (CENter RAdar Presentation) as a backup if their primary system fails. This makes use of en-route surveillance radar used by Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). Expanded separation minimums are normally required when in this mode. Controllers survey the field at Misawa Air Base, Japan. ...

Terminal Control Center Control positions

Terminal Control Center control positions usually include a radar controller and a coordinator who generally stands behind the radar position.

Radar controller

The radar controller is responsible for ensuring appropriate separation, and issuing traffic and other local aviation information for aircraft under its control. Additionally, the radar controller is responsible for ensuring all required coordination with other controllers in the tower, Terminal Control Center, or en-route center is completed, making computer required computer entries, and updating the flight progress strips. A flight progress strip is a small strip of paper used to track flights in Air traffic control. ...

Coordinator

The coordinator provides coordination support for the radar controller. He/she will provide inter/intra faciity coordination when required for the radar controller and make computer entries.

"Data", "Handoff" or "support" controller

Some Terminal Control Centers have the ability to staff a second position at the radar console, referred to as a "Data", "Handoff" or "Support" controller. This position is responsible for providing direct support by coordinating for the radar controller, managing flight progress strips, and making computer entries. When this position is staffed, the coordinator duties are greatly reduced, allowing him/her to provide support for a number of positions. The support controller may make transmissions on the radio along with the main controller: the support controller focuses on the more procedural aspects of controlling (e.g. holding aircraft) while the main controller focuses on accurately radar-vectoring the approach sequence.

Terminal Control Center traffic responsibilities

Terminal Control Centers are responsible for providing all ATC services within their airspace. Generally, there are four types of traffic flows controlled by Terminal Control Center controllers. These are departures, arrivals, overflights, and aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

Departure aircraft

Departure aircraft are received from the tower and are generally 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet high, climbing to a pre-determined altitude. The Terminal Control Center controller working this traffic is responsible for clearing all other Terminal Control Center traffic and, based on the route of flight, placing the departing aircraft on a track and in a geographical location (sometimes referred to as a "gate") that is pre-determined through agreements for the en-route center controller. This positioning is designed to allow the en-route center to integrate the aircraft into its traffic flow easily. This temporary flight restriction map from the Federal Aviation Administration shows the boundaries of the regions controlled by the Area Control Centers within and adjoining the continental United States, as well as the IATA airport code of each such Center operated by the United States. ...

Arrival aircraft

Arrival aircraft are received from the en-route center in compliance with pre-determined agreements on routing, altitude, speed, spacing, etc. The Terminal Control Center controller working this traffic will take control of the aircraft and blend it with other aircraft entering the center airspace from other areas or "gates" into a single, parallel or perpendicular final for the runway. The spacing is critical to ensure the aircraft can land and clear the runway prior to the next aircraft touching down on the runway. The tower may also request expanded spacing between aircraft to allow aircraft to depart or to cross the runway in use. This temporary flight restriction map from the Federal Aviation Administration shows the boundaries of the regions controlled by the Area Control Centers within and adjoining the continental United States, as well as the IATA airport code of each such Center operated by the United States. ...

Overflight aircraft

Overflight aircraft are aircraft that enter the Terminal Control Center airspace at one point and exit the airspace at another without landing at an airport. They must be controlled in a manner that ensures they remain separated from the climbing and descending traffic that is moving in and out of the airport. Their route may be altered to ensure this is possible. When they are returned to the en-route center, they must be on the original routing unless a change has been coordinated.

VFR aircraft

If the class of airspace allows flight under VFR, such aircraft are handled as traffic permits. Controllers will provide traffic information to ensure safety with other aircraft, and may even positively separate VFR aircraft from other aircraft, depending on the class of airspace. Controllers lack the level of control over these aircraft that they have over aircraft on operating under IFR as they will not want to vector VFR aircraft into IMC. Controllers usually provide information for the pilot about traffic in the immediate vicinity and weather reports if applicable. This ensures separation from Instrument Flight Plan (IFR) aircraft is maintained in the critical flight areas around the airports. Visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of aviation regulations under which a pilot may operate an aircraft, if weather conditions are sufficient to allow the pilot to visually control the aircrafts attitude, navigate, and maintain separation with obstacles such as terrain and other aircraft. ... Instrument flight rules (IFR) is a set of regulations and procedures for flying aircraft without the assumption that pilots will be able to see and avoid obstacles, terrain, and other air traffic; it is an alternative to visual flight rules (VFR), where the pilot is primarily or exclusively responsible for... Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) are weather conditions that require aircraft pilots to fly primarily by reference to instruments rather than outside visual references, as they could in Visual meteorological conditions (VMC). ...

Terminal Control Center availability

Not all airports have a Terminal Control Center available. In this case, the en-route center will coordinate directly with the tower and provide this type of service where radar coverage permits. Generally, however, the separation minimums are greatly increased. In many countries, mid-sized airports without a Terminal Control Center have a dedicated Approach Radar Controller based upon the airport itself to sequence inbounds and to provide radar services to aircraft in the vicinity of the airport.